Life Magazine photo

A Life magazine photo symbolizes tragedy. The photograph is of an African mother holding her dead child. Templeton is disturbed by why God would not intervene to prevent such a tragedy, and so begins to lose his faith (his own tragedy). Tragedy also arises in the idea that no human being with free will went to help the mother, which underscores the important of human free will to do good and oppose evil.

Failed science experiments

Failed science experiments demonstrate evidence for God. A number of experiments relating to things like the origin of life are detailed in the book, including one in which the assumed early atmosphere of the Earth, recreated in lab settings, failed to have the desired result. These show that life is far more complicated and complex than realized. This leads one toward God.